Fred Tairo has been with MARI since 2006. Education: PhD in Plant virology from Swedish University of Agriculture Science (SLU), Uppsala, Sweden (2006), BSc in Horticulture in Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania (2000) and Diploma in Horticulture, Arusha, Tanzania (1995). Key expertise and experience: In molecular epidemiology of viruses, infecting sweetpotatoes and cassava. His research has contributed to the characterization of major sweet potato viruses, cassava brown streak viruses epidemiology, evolution and taxonomy and, development of diagnostic tools sweetpotato viruses, cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs) and cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs). Also experienced on regional collaborative research and programs such as Bio Earn, ASARECA etc. Currently, is a co-principal investigator on MARI-led Regional projects on cassava, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and SIDA-funded project “Cassava diagnostics for sustainable productivity of cassava in Africa. He has also published in a number of peer reviewed journals.